1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power generation method, especially by converting all or a part of kinetic energy of an object, which is present at a high place in nature, into potential energy and then using the potential energy to generate power in a desired time.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, because of the nuclear leakage accident of the nuclear power plant caused by Great East Japan Earthquake, movements to return to the power generation using natural energy have been increased.
Regarding a power generation method using natural energy, following examples were proposed in the past. For example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication 2011-91986, a method by breaking down a steep mountain and generating power using potential energy of dirt when transferring the dirt to a low place was proposed. For example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication 2010-275992, a method by rotating a bucket conveyor using gravity of water and buoyancy of air bubble to rotate a gear and transferring rotational force of the gear to a power generator to generate power was proposed. For example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication H11-266553, a method by lifting high weight object and hold it by a hydraulic jack using natural energy such as wind power and wave power to store potential energy and converting the potential energy into kinetic energy as needed to generate power was proposed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication H11-266553
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication 2010-275992
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication 2011-91986
However, in the above described “method of breaking down a steep mountain” and “method of using gravity of water and buoyancy of air bubble”, there is no concept of storing energy. On the other hand, in the above described “method of using a hydraulic jack”, although energy can be stored, an amount of energy to be stored is limited by performance of the hydraulic jack.
The present invention provides a power generation method capable of storing natural energy without specific limitations and capable of taking out the natural energy as needed to generate power.